Spinal's Mongol Rally Thread

[Spinal]

Gents (and the odd lady that browses this forum),
I did something stupid last night, and paid my registration fee for the mongol rally.

So now, I need a crap car to drive to Mongolia in. Current rule are that the car can't have more than a 1l engine, though rumour suggests that this year it's raised to 1.2l. Haven't found out yet (manual isn't out).

I was thinking a Suzuki Swift or a Nissan Micra, based on part availabilty... or a fist gen panda 4x4 (but worried about parts in the middle of nowhere).

Any advice, suggestions or comments?

Budget is around £1000/£1500, but that includes new brake pads/disks, shocks and springs... and maybe a new head gasket... just in case. I've seen some old swifts/micras on ebay for ~£500, leaving ample budget to get an engine rebuild done professionally.... then change the brakes/suspension myself.

Another concern is tyres. I'm thinking of fittting van tyres (for the reinforced sidewalls), and maybe make them a little bigger to get a cm or so more of clearance, without fiddling with the shocks/springs...

M.

 

[rifiki]

80s Nissan Micra, cheap and easy to fix. Not that bad to drive and the 1200cc engine is quite responsive and free reving. Look for rust.

 

[lordlee]

My money would go on something like this 1992 FORD FIESTA BONUS GREY | eBay they were well behind the times when built so very simple to work on and they were popular back in the day so spares should be easy to come by across Europe.

 

[Spinal]

My money would go on something like this 1992 FORD FIESTA BONUS GREY | eBay they were well behind the times when built so very simple to work on and they were popular back in the day so spares should be easy to come by across Europe.

Europe doesn't worry me... I'm thinking of leaving the car with a friend in Poland a few months in the run-up, and get the mechanical work done there (cheaper)...

It's the 'stans that worry me... I have no experience, nor insight, into what cars are common/popular over there...

I saw a 1.2 fiat doblo, which in terms of space would be ideal... but I doubt I can find ANY fiat spares in south-western Asia...

M.

 

[grober]

Fiat Panda 4x4 first gen?? I found this book by Jack Jackson a useful read. Off Road Four Wheel Drive Book: Choosing, Using and Maintaining Go-anywhere Vehicles: Amazon.co.uk: Jack Jackson: Books Altho it deals with 4X4 vehicles it covers expedition driving in 3rd world countries quite well. I cant comment specifically on this edition as my one is dated 1982!

 

[nb_racing]

Banger Rally Mercedes E240 | eBay

Perfect! (except for engine capacity...)

 

[bas358]

I bought a 1.0 corsa in Jan this year £150. Mot may cost including test £60. Fitted new discs and pads and rear wheel break gas another £50.

So far done 3000 miles which includes;
One 12 car rally we one
One scatter and training rally.
1 auto solo own class
4 auto tests
4 production car trials

Off the last two types of events always been a shared drive.

Car certainly tested, a car I have never really looked at in the past, but it has certainly stood up to the punishments given banging over rough farmers fields.

There are also a couple of Suzuki Altos used on club events and several of these have been used for a couple of seasons without problems, they two would probably be a good bet too.

Have fun

 

[John Jones Jr]

Current rule are that the car can't have more than a 1l engine
I was thinking a Suzuki Swift

That's the winner for me.

 

[bas358]

Car is 1998 and that was rear wheel cylinders.

 

[DSM10000]

Ask Mr Morgan if you could borrow is 127 Abarth

 

[poormansporsche]

Bedford Rascal ??? or the Suzuki one ??

 

[Bellow]

80s Nissan Micra, cheap and easy to fix. Not that bad to drive and the 1200cc engine is quite responsive and free reving. Look for rust.

I'd investigate the above first...

Another concern is tyres. I'm thinking of fittting van tyres (for the reinforced sidewalls), and maybe make them a little bigger to get a cm or so more of clearance, without fiddling with the shocks/springs...

M.

....not least of all as I've seen one (second gen(?) not the squared off first gen or the bug eyed last gen - the rounded off quite sober styled one) with wheels tyres fitted which appeared to be from a Nissan a model or two larger (Primera probably). Kind of suggests there's clearance in the wheel wells for van tyres.

 

[Spinal]

The 80s micra is the k10 engine, is it not? I thought the K11 was considered more reliable?

 

[Ian_Mac]

On of my pals did the Ramshackle Rally in this:

 

[swannymere]

My only experience of fitting taller profile tyres is that for some reason they need inflating once a week.

 

[Meldrew2]

How about a Mini Metro with a 6R4 bodykit?

Basic Metro was 1.0, and the bodykit should intimidate other entrants…


.

 

[Meldrew2]

Or one of these? The cornering can be improved by fitting furniture castors to the wing mirrors…

 

[Spinal]

It can't be a "classic car" (and I use that term loosely) - finding parts for an old mini is near impossible in Asia... as I fear it would be for the citroen...

In terms of countries... these are likely contestants (all in addition to Europe):

Southern Route:
Iran - Turkmenistan - Kazakhstan - Uzbekistan - Tajikistan - Kyrgyzstan - Russia - Mongolia

Central Route:
Ukraine - Russia - Kazakhstan - Uzbekistan - Kyrgyzstan - Mongolia.

 

[Sp!ke]

if you have a contact in Poland - why not buy a Lada Niva over there and then modify it in some outlandish way so that it is excluded from the 1.2L rule?

The Niva will be the easiest car to get spares for over there. (excluding a W123)

 

[Charles Morgan]

Ask Mr Morgan if you could borrow [h]is 127 Abarth